On Deck : Government Universal Health Care

[mcsluggo]

Originally Posted by dude1394

...

One of the most interesting things noted was the less medical procedures and "care" you got, the healthier you are, even if you are the same demographic. Funny...


http://www.dynamist.com/weblog/archives/003001.html

i haven't read the linked piece... but as to this point, of course this is true. The problem is the direction of causality you you are trying to infer....

Q: who gets lots of medical procedures, and care...?
A: people who are sick.

if you are an 18 year old with cystic fibrosis you are going to get TONS of procedures and care... and then you are going to die young. If you are a healthy 18 year old... you will probably avoid the doctor's for the next 20-30 years... and be fine.

[dude1394]

Originally Posted by mcsluggo

i haven't read the linked piece... but as to this point, of course this is true. The problem is the direction of causality you you are trying to infer....

Q: who gets lots of medical procedures, and care...?
A: people who are sick.

if you are an 18 year old with cystic fibrosis you are going to get TONS of procedures and care... and then you are going to die young. If you are a healthy 18 year old... you will probably avoid the doctor's for the next 20-30 years... and be fine.

Actually I'm not trying to infer anything other than more tests,procedures,therapies for the same illness doesn't equate to better health. What was interesting was that two people with the same symptoms in one case were given extensive tests, procedures, etc.. The people getting the procedures turned out to do worse than the others because of the inherent risk of those procedures.

Your age-related comment is not the case that is being made.